Chronic uveitis in guinea pigs infected with varicella-zoster virus expressing Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase.
There is no small animal model that replicates chickenpox and herpes zoster, which are caused by varicella-zoster virus (VZV). Therefore, to detect VZV in tissues of infected animals, the Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase gene was inserted into the viral genome. Intravitreal inoculation of guinea pigs with virus-infected cells resulted in a chronic uveitis, with mononuclear cells in the vitreous cavity of the eye of nearly all animals. Staining with X-gal demonstrated the presence of VZV in the ciliary body or iris of approximately 40% of the animals and in retinal pigmented epithelial cells in 4 animals. X-gal staining showed VZV in the eye of 1 animal 140 days after inoculation. These experiments indicate that VZV expressing beta-galactosidase is useful for detecting virus in tissues and that VZV can cause a chronic uveitis in which virus can be detected in some animals for up to 4 months.
Cohen
J I
JI
Medical Virology Section, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
Wang
Y
Y
Nussenblatt
R
R
Straus
S E
SE
Hooks
J J
JJ
D000818:Animals; D002908:Chronic Disease; D002924:Ciliary Body / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D005123:Eye / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D005814:Genes, Viral; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D007498:Iris / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D007763:Lac Operon; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D010957:Plasmids; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D013997:Time Factors; D014162:Transfection; D012668:Trigeminal Ganglion / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014605:Uveitis / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000821:virology*; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
D004279:DNA, Viral; D001616:beta-Galactosidase